The present invention relates generally to binding and more particularly to a device and method for preparing a printed product or book spine for binding.
To form books (defined herein to include all sheet and signature assemblages), sheets or signatures typically are collated or assembled so that the sheets of the book are arranged in the desired order. U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,086 discloses, for example, an apparatus and method for forming sheet material assemblages. The sheets or signatures are stacked above continuously moving assemblers or pockets and dropped one-by-one into the pockets. The bottom of the pocket can open to release an assembled, but unbound, book.
To prepare books for binding, the spine of the book is formed so that the bottom edges align. The spine will be flat if a flatback book is to be formed. If signatures rather than individual sheets are collated, the backbone of the book typically will be sawed so that individual sheets within each signature present themselves at the spine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,354 and 4,556,353 disclose methods for applying an adhesive to the spine of a book. The book is gripped from the top by clamps to expose the spine of the book. The spine of the book has a length greater than a width of the spine, and is flat. As the spine travels in a direction parallel to the length of the spine, an adhesive is applied by rollers or applicators.
The above-referenced patents have the disadvantage that several separate devices are require to collate, register and bind the books. Moreover, transfer of the books between the collating machines, registering machines and the clamps is required. Each transfer point increases the chances for malfunction or a reduction in quality, such as bent edges or misalignment of the pages.
In addition, it is not possible with the above devices to laterally register signatures of varying product sizes in a single book.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for preparing a book spine conveyed perpendicularly to the spine. Another alternate or additional object of the present invention is to provide for individual registration in a lateral direction for each collected signature. Yet another alternate or additional object of the present invention is to permit for more efficient binding of the book spine.
Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/570,201 filed May 12, 2000, hereby incorporated-by-reference herein, dealt with several of the problems of the prior art by having a construction in which books conveyed perpendicularly to the spine in pockets were clamped by two separate clamping mechanisms. Individual lateral registration for the signatures was not provided.
The present invention provides a method for preparing a book spine including: delivering a plurality of products into a pocket against a spine stop so as to form a book having a spine, and conveying the book perpendicularly to the spine. A single packer can be used pack the book. The packer then releases the book. A back of the pocket and the spine stop are lowered with respect to the packer so as to define a spine exposure. The packer then contacts the book again to maintain the spine exposure.
The spine stop is then moved away from the book spine, and the packer is pivoted to alter the spine angle. The spine may then be processed, for example by sawing.
xe2x80x9cSignaturesxe2x80x9d as defined herein may include individual sheets and/or multi-sheet signatures. The pivoting preferably occurs by holding a lower section of the signatures firmly between a pivotable clamp and the packer, and then rotating each about a respective pivot.
After processing, the book spine may be returned to a home position. An inverted book cover can then be added and the process repeated to prepare the spine with the book cover for gluing, for example.
To deliver the books with the inverted cover, the packer is opened and the books may fall by gravity to a conveyor or may be removed by a gripper conveyor.
Preferably, as the signatures enter the pockets, the entering signature is held apart from the previously collated signatures, and is registered laterally. Once the entering signature is against the spine stop in the proper lateral position, the entering signature may rest against the previous collated signatures.
The present invention thus also provides a method for collecting signatures against a spine stop comprising the steps of: entering at least one first signature into a pocket so as to rest against an angled tray and a spine stop so as to form a collated book, and entering at least one second signature into the pocket, the second signature being held apart from the first signature at an upper section and contacting the first signature at the spine stop.
By holding apart the second signature from the first at the upper section, better spine registration may be achieved.
Preferably, a registration jogger is provided to be able to move the individual entering signature laterally. Thus a variety of product sizes can be registered properly in the lateral direction.
The present invention also includes a device for preparing a book spine comprising a plurality of pockets, each pocket having an angled back. Each pocket also has a packer and a spine stop at a lower end of the pocket for receiving the spine, the spine stop having a first collect position and a second position, which may be variable, wherein the spine stop is lower with respect to the packer than in the collect position. The plane of the spine in the second position is parallel to the plane of the spine in the first position. In a third position, the spine stop is rotated away from the spine.
Preferably, the packer operates in conjunction with a clamp beneath the back. The packer holds a lower part of the products against the clamp.
A packer operating lever preferably is provided to provide for a packing operation and a tighter clamping operation when the book spine is rotated.
A latch for the spine stop may be provided, as may a tray lever and latch. A clamp roller and tray level roller may also be provided.
When receiving new products, the back and the spine stop preferably form an angle with the vertical plane.
Preferably, the pockets each include at least one shutter blade to keep an entering signature away from already collected signatures. The shutter blade may then be retracted, for example by rotation, to permit the entering signature to fully contact the collected signatures. The shutter blades thus permit the signature to be fed in a vertical guided path until the lower end of the signatures enters against the spine stop. The signature is held in a position where its shorter bottom section is angled, and the longer upper section is restrained on one side by a vertical guide and on the other side by the shutter blades. A curved section in the middle of the signature is produced, which contributes to rigidity along the direction of the spine. Ajogger paddle of the registration jogger can push on the signature just above the curve on the vertical part of the signature to move the signature along its spine direction for proper lateral registration. The packer then can close against the lower end of all of the signatures, and the shutter blades may be pivoted out of the vertical path, allowing the signature to rest against the previously collected signatures.
In this way, each signature, even if having varying product sizes, can be arranged laterally in a desired position.
The latches, levers and roller, and any motions of the parts of the pocket, may be actuated by cam action.
xe2x80x9cBookxe2x80x9d as defined herein can mean any type of sheet or signature assemblage, including but not limited to, covered printed products, paper booklets, and magazines.